PYEONGCHANG, February 11, 2018 -There was a
special feeling that enveloped me on Saturday evening at the Alpensia
Cross-Country Centre as Charlotte Kalla skied past the finish line to claim the
first gold medal of PyeongChang 2018. This feeling of 'being there' is one a TV
screen can never give even if as in this case, the cold is not kind.

I used to wonder how spectators follow a
Skiing event so religiously especially in those times when the Skiers, who are
the main actors, are out of sight only to return when they need to take another
lap or cross the finish line. "Boring" I thought.

Of course I know there is the big screen to
reveal those unseen moments. Then what is the need to buy a ticket when I could
get an even better view while I watch on TV from the warmth of my home?

Well, I was at a skiing event today and I
enjoyed every bit of it save for the part where Rayane Mousallem and I had to
walk for about an hour in search of the Press Tribune. Language barrier was our
worst nightmare as we were being tossed from one end to the other by volunteers
who probably did not understand our question.

It was so frustrating that we took a break
at some point and decided to sit anywhere. But we resumed the search when the
owners of the seats came with their tickets. We finally got settled when we
insisted that a volunteer take us to the Press Tribune instead of giving us
another direction that could turn out like a bounced cheque.

So here is how I enjoyed my evening of
Cross-Country Skiing (Ladies 15km Skiathlon) which happened to be a medal event
too - one that went on to produce the most decorated female Winter Olympian,
Marit Bjorgen.

Spectators were treated to a fanfare
before, during and after the competition.

Before the event started at 4:15pm, there
was an Olympic trivia segment; where questions about the Olympics were asked to
two persons and a winner emerged.

Another interesting fun moment was the
'Kiss Cam'; where couples that were randomly caught on camera had to kiss for
all to see on the big screen - some declined though.

Then there was the entertainment show which
featured K-pop acts who sang and thrilled the fans, after which the Games
mascot Soohorang danced alongside some cheerleaders.

During the Skiing event, the commentator
was super lively and entertaining such that everyone had their eyes glued to
the big screen when the Skiers ventured into the mountains. At intervals he
called on spectators to "make some noise!"

I watched most of the action standing
because the battle for first place was intense and really close until the final
stages when Charlotte Kalla broke away.

In the first 7.5km, the classical technique
(a straight-forward movement) was used while the freestyle (which allowed for
sideways movement of the ski) was used in the final 7.5km.

After the event, there was still some time
for 'Gangnam Style'. The female host of the entertainment show caught up with
some Swedish fans at the stadium and they danced to the song in celebration of
their gold.